Socrates

JUVENTUS - GENOA .- Sunday, March 22nd, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello Juventus - Genoa Preview: Vidal hungry for revenge The runaway leaders are looking to stretch their advantage when they face the only side to have beaten them in Serie A this season. Mar 21, 2015 Arturo Vidal says Juventus have revenge on their minds heading into Sunday's clash with Genoa after suffering their only Serie A defeat this season against them in October. Juve's near perfect start to 2014-15 included seven wins and a draw from their opening eight league matches, but a trip to Genoa tarnished that run. Luca Antonini's 94th-minute win at Luigi Ferraris produced the only blot on Juve's Serie A campaign to date, with Vidal keen to make amends this weekend. Buoyed by their midweek victory at Borussia Dortmund to ease into the Champions League quarter-finals 5-1 on aggregate, league leaders Juve can move another step closer to a fourth successive title. "We were delighted to win 3-0 in Dortmund," said Vidal. "These are victories that help a lot, the evening was almost perfect. "Now we have to concentrate, because we have to win the fourth league title. "Moreover, against Genoa we must overturn the only defeat in the league." With 11 league games remaining, Juve sit 14 points clear of Roma at the top. And, while the battle rages for the final Champions League places below them, Massimiliano Allegri's side continue to cruise. A momentous treble remains on the cards for Allegri in his debut season, with a Coppa Italia semi-final second leg against Fiorentina still to come. Genoa were the surprise package during the first half of the campaign and even climbed as high as third at one point. However, only two victories since mid-December has seen their dreams of European football fade away and Genoa face a battle to preserve a top-half finish. A three-match winless run has seen Gian Piero Gasperini's side drop to seventh, with 11th-placed Palermo only two points behind. Defeat in Turin could see them tumble further down the table, but there is a glimmer of hope given that Juve will be without star midfielder Paul Pogba and in-form striker Alvaro Morata. Pogba suffered a hamstring injury during the win over Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park and will miss the next seven weeks with a grade two tear. Morata is banned and Claudio Marchisio is a doubt after missing training on Friday due to illness. Genoa are without the suspended duo of Iago Falque and Tomas Rincon, while M'Baye Niang is a doubt through injury. OPTA FACTS Juventus have won 56 times and scored 196 goals against Genoa in Serie A – more than any other side. In the reverse fixture in the first part of the season, Genoa won their first match against Juventus in Serie A since April 2009. Genoa’s last win away to Juventus in the top-flight came in January 1991: since then, they have lost eight times and drawn three times. Juventus are unbeaten in their last 18 Serie A fixtures (W12 D6): their last defeat came against Genoa in the reverse fixture. Juventus have conceded 14 goals so far, five fewer than last season after 27 match-days. Only Bayern Munich (17) have kept more clean sheets than Juventus (15) across the top-five European leagues this term. Prior to their home defeat against Chievo, Genoa were unbeaten in five Serie A fixtures (W2 D3). Juventus have not lost any of their last 41 Serie A games at home, winning 37 of these. LAST FIVE MATCHES Juventus W W W L D 2015/03/18 - Borussia Dortmund 0 - 3 Juventus 2015/03/14 - Palermo 0 - 1 Juventus 2015/03/09 - Juventus 1 - 0 Sassuolo 2015/03/05 - Juventus 1 - 2 Fiorentina 2015/03/02 - Roma 1 - 1 Juventus Genoa L D D W W 2015/03/15 - Genoa 0 - 2 Chievo Verona 2015/03/08 - Empoli 1 - 1 Genoa 2015/02/24 - Sampdoria 1 - 1 Genoa 2015/02/15 - Genoa 5 - 2 Hellas Verona 2015/02/09 - Lazio 0 - 1 Genoa HEAD TO HEAD 2014/10/29 - Genoa 1 - 0 Juventus 2014/03/16 - Genoa 0 - 1 Juventus 2013/10/27 - Juventus 2 - 0 Genoa 2013/01/26 - Juventus 1 - 1 Genoa 2012/09/16 - Genoa 1 - 3 Juventus http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Serie A - 9^ Giornata Ritorno - 22-3-2015 (ore 15:00) JUVENTUS - GENOA .- Domenica, 22 marzo 2015 - ore 15:00 Juventus Stadium, Torino Arbitro: Marco Di Bello Confronti ufficiali 142 - 95 (Serie A) - 10 (Coppa Italia) - 33 (Campionato a gironi) - 2 (Campionato di guerra) - 2 (Serie B) Vittorie Juventus 76 - 56 (Serie A) - 7 (Coppa Italia) - 11 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Campionato di guerra) - 1 (Serie B) Pareggi 30 - 20 (Serie A) - 2 (Coppa Italia) - 7 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Serie B) Vittorie Genoa 36 - 19 (Serie A) - 1 (Coppa Italia) - 15 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Campionato di guerra) Goals Juventus 278 - 196 (Serie A) - 22 (Coppa Italia) - 53 (Campionato a gironi) - 3 (Campionato di guerra) - 4 (Serie B) Goals Genoa 179 - 101 (Serie A) - 13 (Coppa Italia) - 60 (Campionato a gironi) - 3 (Campionato di guerra) - 2 (Serie B) Juventus - Genoa Serie A a Torino Confronti ufficiali 47 Vittorie Juventus 36 (L'ultima il 27.10.2013, 2-0) Pareggi 9 (L'ultimo il 26.01.2013, 1-1) Vittorie Genoa 2 (L'ultima il 20.01.1991, 0-1) Goals Juventus 120 Goals Genoa 40 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro il Genoa a Torino 11 presenze Boniperti Giampiero 11 Depetrini Teobaldo 9 Varglien I Mario 8 Foni Alfredo 8 Rava Pietro 8 Varglien II Giovanni 7 Borel II Felice Placido 6 Gabetto Guglielmo 6 Marocchi Giancarlo 6 Monti Luis Felipe 7 goals Hansen John 6 Gabetto Guglielmo 5 Baggio Roberto 4 Boniperti Giampiero 4 Borel II Felice Placido 4 Charles John William 4 Orsi Raimundo Bibiani 4 Vecchina Giovanni 3 Cesarini Renato 3 Del Piero Alessandro Ultimi confronti diretti 14.02.2010 Serie A Juventus-Genoa 3-2 21.11.2010 Serie A Genoa-Juventus 0-2 10.04.2011 Serie A Juventus-Genoa 3-2 22.10.2011 Serie A Juventus-Genoa 2-2 11.03.2012 Serie A Genoa-Juventus 0-0 16.09.2012 Serie A Genoa-Juventus 1-3 26.01.2013 Serie A Juventus-Genoa 1-1 27.10.2013 Serie A Juventus-Genoa 2-0 16.03.2014 Serie A Genoa-Juventus 0-1 29.10.2014 Serie A Genoa-Juventus 1-0 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 6 - Pareggi 3 - Vittorie Genoa 1 - Goals Juventus 17 - Goals Genoa 9 http://www.goal.com/it/results-standings/69/serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_101

JUVENTUS - GENOA .- Sunday, March 22nd, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello Juventus V Genoa – Team News, Tactics, Lineups And Predictions Mar 21, 2015 Sunday afternoon will see Juventus welcome Genoa, as they look to avenge their only loss of the season. Massimiliano Allegri’s men can be forgiven if they don’t look entirely motivated against Genoa on Sunday. After their triumph in Dortmund midweek to reach the Champions League quarterfinals and a comfortable 14 point lead atop the Serie A table, the most difficult part of Allegri’s job for the remainder of the season may be keeping his side focused on the task at hand. However, considering the club have only attained four straight Scudetti once in their history, the feat should provide all the inspiration Juventus need to see out the remainder of the Serie A campaign. Allegri will look to utilize his deep bench and give some playing time to those who haven’t seen much of it in recent weeks. The Bianconeri will not have it easy on Sunday though, as they take on a rested Genoa side looking to do the double over them this season. Genoa had a brilliant start to the campaign, but have only managed to win two games since beating Milan on December 7th. Despite their struggles though, they remain in eighth place and in the hunt for a European spot next season. Team news and tactical brief Juventus Juve have in their ranks two ex-Genoa players in Stefano Sturaro and Alessandro Matri who both enjoyed fruitful spells in Liguria but neither is expected to feature against their former employer. The Old Lady have the luxury of a 14-point lead at the top of the table and will be able to rest some of the more jaded players and still put out an extremely strong side. The Bianconeri were dealt some bad news when it was reported that Paul Pogba will be out for 50 days after coming off injured in Germany during the week. Pogba’s withdrawal through injury forced Massimiliano Allegri into the bold move of returning to a three-man defence after having abandoned it in favour of a four-man version earlier in the season. The Frenchman’s absence also reduces the likelihood of the game going down in folklore for a long-range screamer. It is expected that Juve will face Genoa with three at the back and Andrea Barzagli is expected to stay in the side following his return from injury. Romulo, Kwando Asamoah, Kingsley Coman, Andrea Pirlo, Luca Marrone and Martin Caceres all remain out injured for Juventus. The Pogba-shaped hole in Juve’s midfield will increase the focus on Roberto Pereyra who has done a good job as a utility man and his speed allows him to quickly link midfield with the attack so it will be interesting to see if he can keep making the most of his opportunities. Juventus have one suspension with Alvaro Morata obliged to sit out and Fernando Llorente is expected to start in his place. Probable Starting Line-up (3-5-2) Buffon Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini Lichsteiner, Pereyra, Marchisio, Vidal, Evra Llorente, Tevez Genoa Genoa travel to Turin having suffered their first defeat in six games last weekend when losing 2-0 at home to Chievo. The result was disappointing for Gian Piero Gasperini’s squad, but despite an alarming loss of form at the turn of the year, they can still claim a European spot providing that they make use of their game in hand. Striker Marco Borriello could be in contention to start after featuring as a half-time substitute last weekend. The visitors will be looking to get vital points as they’ve faded recently in the race for the Europa League and they sit eight points off fifth place. Genoa will have to play their strongest side but recent form has been stuttering and Juventus Stadium is not a place where many escape downwards spirals. Genoa have two important players out suspended in the form of the Venezualan midfielder Tomas Rincon and Spanish attacking midfielder Iago Falque. The Grifone will also be without the elegant playmaker Tino Costa and Turin-born, former Juve player Lorenzo Ariaudo. In October, a 94th-minute winner from Luca Antonini proved enough to earn Genoa a famous win at Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris, and it remains Juve’s only setback of an otherwise dominant league campaign. Genoa was the surprise of Serie A during the first half of the campaign and even climbed as high as third at one point. However, only two victories since mid-December has seen their dreams of European football fade away and Genoa face a battle to preserve a top-half finish. A three-match winless run has seen Gian Piero Gasperini’s side drop to seventh, with 11th-placed Palermo only two points behind. Defeat in Turin could see them tumble further down the table. Genoa are without the suspended duo of Iago Falque and Tomas Rincon, while M’Baye Niang is a doubt through injury. Probable Starting Line-up (3-4-3) Perin Roncaglia, Burdisso, De Maio Edenilson, Kucka, Bertolacci, Bergdich Lestienne, Perotti, Niang Key Facts Juventus have won 56 times and scored 196 goals against Genoa in Serie A – more than any other side. In the reverse fixture in the first part of the season, Genoa won their first match against Juventus in Serie A since April 2009. Genoa’s last win away to Juventus in the top-flight came in January 1991: since then, they have lost eight times and drawn three times. Juventus are unbeaten in their last 18 Serie A fixtures (W12 D6): their last defeat came against Genoa in the reverse fixture. Juventus have conceded 14 goals so far, five fewer than last season after 27 match-days.Only Bayern Munich (17) have kept more clean sheets than Juventus (15) across the top-five European leagues this term. Juventus have not lost any of their last 41 Serie A games at home, winning 37 of these. Prior to their home defeat against Chievo, Genoa were unbeaten in five Serie A fixtures (W2 D3). Moreover, the Bianconeri have scored in each of their last 44 league fixtures at the Juventus Stadium. Juventus have not lost any of their last 41 Serie A games at home, winning 37 of these. Players to Watch Out For Alessandro Matri (Juventus) When Genoa beat Juventus back on October 29th, Matri provided the crucial assist on Luca Antonini’s game winner. Less than six months later, Matri finds himself on the opposite side. Given that his team travelled to Germany on Wednesday, it won’t be a surprise to see Allegri use Matri in this game. Mattia Perin (Genoa) Probably one of the first instances of Mattia Perin showcasing his talent was at his time on loan during Pescara. His buzzy nature in the penalty area could have been interpreted as the sign of a nervous young player but that is his style. Back at his parent club Genoa for last season, Perin has cemented his place as one of the best shot-stoppers in Italy. Slowly garnering a reputation as one of the best young keepers in the world, one would feel that it is not long before Perin gets a big club move. Prediction Juventus 1–1 Genoa Juventus had a terrific night in Dortmund, where they won 3-0 and progressed to the Champions League quarterfinals. With a 14-point gap in the domestic league, all they need to care about right now are the cups. Genoa’s plan to catch Sampdoria (given the game they have in hand) was halted last week as Chievo managed to beat them. Morale for these teams will be hugely contrasting, with Juventus high on spirit and Genoa may feel as if they have missed a good chance to close in on the European spots. Juve are also at home and could have the support of a big crowd that will gather to celebrate after the victory in Germany, and for these reasons it will not be easy for Genoa. Blast From the Past First-half goals from Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez ensured Juventus got back to winning ways after a stunning 4-2 loss against Fiorentina in 2013. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Allegri: The Match Against Monaco Will Be Tough Mar 20, 2015 Juventus have been drawn against French side Monaco in the quarter finals of the Champions League and head coach of the Bianconeri Massimiliano Allegri has stated that it will be a tough match for his side. Both teams impressed in their previous European ties and the 47-year-old tactician will be hoping that his players will be encouraged by their convincing victory over Borussia Dortmund in their last Champions league match. [they won 5-1 on aggregate]. “This quarter-final match-up will be tough. Monaco are a very good side who showed their quality against Arsenal,” said Allegri when responding to the draw via his personal Twitter account. Monaco were the serious underdogs when they took on English side Arsenal in the Round of 16 but managed to qualify thanks to the away goals rule after they drew 3-3 on aggregate. In contrast to league leaders Juventus, Monaco find themselves fourth in the French championship and head coach Leonardo Jardim has already responded by stating that he believes his side will be the underdogs once again. The first leg of the quarter-final will be played at the Juventus stadium on April 14.

Deschamps: Pogba should have been rested The France coach was left to lament the serious hamstring injury suffered by the Juventus star, insisting he has been made to play too much football. Mar 20, 2015 France coach Didier Deschamps believes a serious hamstring injury to striker Paul Pogba is down to the Juventus midfielder being overused. Pogba, 22, hurt his right hamstring early in Juve's 3-0 demolition of Borussia Dortmund, which saw the Serie A title-holders advance to the Champions League quarter-finals. The France international is set to miss up to seven weeks, which would rule him out of competing in both legs of the quarter-finals or semi-finals in Europe as well as friendlies for France, against Brazil and Denmark in March. "What happened is difficult for the player himself," Deschamps said. "Paul has his first muscular injury, that's something new for him. "Even when a young player is fit, these kind of things can happen. "He's playing a lot of games. The seasons are long for him; he doesn't always have a real holiday. His body needed a break."

JUVENTUS - GENOA .- Sunday, March 22nd, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello Juventus V Genoa – Preview: Old Lady Out To Avenge Early Season Defeat Mar 20, 2015 On March 22 Genoa will make the relatively short trip north to Turin to face the runaway league leaders Juventus. Juve will head into the game off the back of a morale-boosting 3-0 win away at Borussia Dortmund to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Meanwhile, Genoa will be going into the game after a traumatic and unexpected 2-0 home defeat to Chievo. However, the fixture does have an extra element of spice seeing. The Grifone are the only team to beat Juventus this season. The win came thanks to a last minute goal in October and the league leaders will focused and out for revenge. Juve also have in their ranks two ex-Genoa players in Stefano Sturaro and Alessandro Matri who both enjoyed fruitful spells in Liguria but neither is expected to feature against their former employer. The Old Lady have the luxury of a 14-point lead at the top of the table and will be able to rest some of the more jaded players and still put out an extremely strong side. The visitors will be looking to get vital points as they’ve faded recently in the race for the Europa League and they sit eight points off fifth place. Genoa will have to play their strongest side but recent form has been stuttering and Juventus Stadium is not a place where many escape downwards spirals. The Bianconeri were dealt some bad news when it was reported that Paul Pogba will be out for 50 days after coming off injured in Germany during the week. Pogba’s withdrawal through injury forced Massimiliano Allegri into the bold move of returning to a three-man defence after having abandoned it in favour of a four-man version earlier in the season. The Frenchman’s absence also reduces the likelihood of the game going down in folklore for a long-range screamer. It is expected that Juve will face Genoa with three at the back and Andrea Barzagli is expected to stay in the side following his return from injury. Romulo, Kwando Asamoah, Kingsley Coman, Andrea Pirlo, Luca Marrone and Martin Caceres all remain out injured for Juventus. The Pogba-shaped hole in Juve’s midfield will increase the focus on Roberto Pereyra who has done a good job as a utility man and his speed allows him to quickly link midfield with the attack so it will be interesting to see if he can keep making the most of his opportunities. Juventus have one suspension with Alvaro Morata obliged to sit out and Fernando Llorente is expected to start in his place. Genoa have two important players out suspended in the form of the Venezualan midfielder Tomas Rincon and Spanish attacking midfielder Iago Falque. The Grifone will also be without the elegant playmaker Tino Costa and Turin-born, former Juve midfielder Lorenzo Ariaudo. Form Guide: Juve ( W-W-D-W-D-W), Genoa (L-D-D-W-W-D) Expected Starting XIs Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Ogbonna, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Marchisio, Pereyra, Evra; Llorente, Tevez. Genoa: Perin; De Maio, Burdisso, Roncaglia; Edenilson, Kucka, Bertolacci, Bergdich; Perotti, Niang, Pavoletti. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

http://www.tuttosport.com/foto/Calcio/Serie%20A/Juventus/2015/03/18-92786_0/FOTO+Dortmund-Juventus+0-3%3A+la+furia+bianconera+annienta+i+tedeschi

Pogba sidelined for Juventus until May The midfielder has been ruled out for 50 days with a hamstring injury, the Serie A champions have confirmed, meaning he will miss crucial clashes in April. Mar 19, 2015 Juventus have been dealt a blow to their European and domestic trophy hopes as midfielder Paul Pogba has been ruled out with a hamstring injury until May. The 22-year-old has been a key part of the Bianconeri's incredible Serie A record in 2014-15 – they are 14 points clear and look certain to wrap up the Scudetto over the coming weeks. With Champions League clashes and a Coppa Italia semi-final second leg at Fiorentina to come in the next month, however, Pogba's absence could hit their hopes of winning the treble hard before he returns for the final few matches of the season. The France international limped off as Massimiliano Allegri's men breezed past Borussia Dortmund in the last-16 second leg and there were fears that a moderate spell on the sidelines could be on the cards. Those fears have proven to be justified and Juventus - who signed Pogba as a teenager on a free transfer from Manchester United in 2012 - revealed the extent of his injury on Thursday. "Paul Pogba, who was brought off during the first half of Dortmund-Juventus, has been medically examined," a statement on the club's website reads. "Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the initial suspicion of a second-degree injury to Pogba's right hamstring. The recovery schedule for the midfielder is due to take 50 days." If Juventus' timeline is accurate, Pogba will be fit to feature in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals should they reach the last four, although he is unlikely to be approaching full fitness until the middle of May.

Sacchi Claims Tevez Is Better Than Baggio Mar 19, 2015 Arrigo Sacchi is courting controversy once more, albeit in a less volatile manner, by suggesting that Carlos Tevez is a better footballer than Roberto Baggio. He was giving his opinion off the back of the Argentine striker’s two goal salvo and assist which saw him help Juventus eliminate Borussia Dortmund from the Champions League on Wednesday night. Speaking to Sportmediaset about Tevez, his thoughts soon wandered to The Divine Ponytail: “Tevez is an extraordinary player who is lethal in front of goal and always available to help his teammates in difficult times. “He has great strength but is also unselfish and is certainly the leader of this Juventus team. Roberto Baggio was equipped with clear quality and class but he had more drawbacks than the Argentine. “Tevez, thanks to his physical qualities and rock solid mentality, is always looking to help his teammates as I said. It is not easy to do that at this level.” Sacchi would seem more equipped than most to make the claim having coached Baggio during his time in charge of the Italian national team, most notably at the 1994 World Cup.

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS Carlos Tévez (3') Álvaro Morata (70') Carlos Tévez (79') Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1 Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m. Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Attendance: 65851 Max Allegri deserves credit for conquering Juventus' European fears Mar 19, 2015 Managers usually take over clubs in one of two situations. Either their predecessor has failed -- or was seen as a failure -- in which case they get plenty of "buy-in" from day one, if only because what they do is different. Or, they replace someone who has done very well. And that's when things are all uphill. Just ask David Moyes. Or Tata Martino. Max Allegri found himself in just that situation when he was appointed to replace Antonio Conte, who had delivered three straight Serie A titles before walking out of Juventus in mid-July. He got the job because, well, he was available. Right place, right time. Not because Juventus were somehow enthusiastic about Allegri's pedigree. Despite finishing first, second and third in his first three seasons at Milan, his name was never spoken in hushed tones as some kind of footballing savant. Nobody wrote treatises about his "philosophy," "tactical savvy" and "man-management skills." He just wasn't that fashionable a coach, in part because in conventional wisdom when Milan win, it's down to the club, the players and the guys upstairs, whereas when they lose it's always the manager's fault. Plus, in his final season with the Rossoneri, the club were terrible and he was sacked after 19 games, with Milan 11th in the table. He landed at Juve 47 days before the start of the season, taking over a group that was enamoured with Conte and gutted to see him go. It was essentially the same crew as last season, which means he couldn't even work on getting the newcomers onside, a familiar trick for a new boss. Juve's three significant additions were Patrice Evra (a 33-year-old free agent whom many suspected was pretty much done), Alvaro Morata (a promising 21-year-old, but also a guy who managed just three league starts the year before) and Roberto Pereyra (a nice player, but hardly one to set pulses racing). To make matters worse, the one player he had worked with before didn't exactly have him at the top of his Christmas card list. Andrea Pirlo is Juve's influential playmaker and Allegri had turfed him out of Milan four years earlier, believing he was pretty much finished at the highest level -- how wrong Allegri was. What do you do in those circumstances? How do you win over a group of veterans? And how do you do it in double-quick time? A different manager might have stamped his authority on the club. Not Allegri. He began the season with Juventus a virtual turn-key operation. He mimicked Conte's tactics and formation, sticking with the 3-5-2, even though there were three good reasons not to: He had not played it in years and it wasn't his preferred scheme; it meant he had to leave out one of his outstanding central midfielders (Pirlo, Paul Pogba, Arturo Vidal or Claudio Marchisio); and it was a setup that had struggled in Europe, much like Juventus. Still, he made it his own in the first two months of the season as the bianconeri raced out to an impressive start domestically. Once he had shown he could deliver as a plug-and-play manager using Conte's methods, he gained the trust of fans and players. And that's when he made the switch to a back four, something Conte talked about for years but was never able to do. It may be a coincidence, but Juve have lost just once -- to Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia semifinal -- since the switch in early November. His detractors will point to the fact that things fell into place for him. Pogba continued to develop into one of the best midfielders in the world. Pereyra has been a force. Evra showed that, unlike other Premier League veterans who moved to Italy (Nemanja Vidic, Ashley Cole) he still has plenty in the tank. Carlos Tevez has been on a tear. That's fine. All true. But you could note that Vidal -- Juve's best player the past two seasons -- suffered from a World Cup hangover for most of this year and only recently started punching his weight. Or that Kwadwo Asamoah and Andrea Barzagli, two guys you would have penciled in as starters in the summer, got hurt early and have only played 615 minutes of league football this year. Or that his first-choice centre-forward, Fernando Llorente, has been considerably less productive than last season (he dropped form a goal every 155 minutes to one every 286). You could also point out that maybe some of those other improvements in key areas might well be down to Allegri and the way he works. Including the fact that he was able to quickly repair the relationship with Pirlo. Conte was dogged by the fact that Juventus underachieved in Europe while he was in charge. It's a popular trope, but also one that's a bit misleading. In 2012-13, they won a group that included Chelsea and Shakhtar Donetsk and blew away Celtic (5-0 on aggregate). They were then resoundingly trounced by Bayern Munich in the quarterfinal (4-0 on aggregate), but then again Bayern did the same to Tito Vilanova's Barcelona in the semifinal, except it was 7-0 on aggregate, on their way to winning it all. Last season, individual errors and sheer misfortune caused them to go out in the group stage, but they bounced back in the Europa League, advancing to the semis. In other words, they were disappointing in Europe, but not atrocious. More telling than the results was the way they played. Conte often had them wound tighter than a drum. In Serie A, where there was an evident gap in talent, it was the right approach: opponents were blown away by their intensity early on and they could manage games. In Europe, however, opponents seemed to absorb Juve's intensity, leading them to get more frustrated and, perhaps, fearing failure. Engaging in this sort of pop psychology -- particularly when you're not in the dressing room -- is tricky and prone to misreads. But that's the impression you're left with when you compare, say, the Europa League semifinal against Benfica last season (or the away trip against Atletico Madrid in the group stage this year, when they were still in "Conte mode") and the two legs against Borussia Dortmund this year. Those Juve teams tried to outwork and outwill the opposition, and when it didn't work, nerves quickly became frayed. This Juve team seems more accomplished, more self-assured, more confident that it can outplay the opposition without needing to turn it into some kind of epic battle of wits. How far can they go? Draw Barcelona or Bayern in the next round and, if the script is followed, no further than they did under Conte when they reached the last eight two years ago. But, in fact, regardless of what happens, the transition has already been made. They no longer have a complex; if they get beaten it will be because the opponents are better or play better -- or are simply luckier. It won't be because they're consumed by a fear of failure. Juventus are once again a grown-up team. And a big chunk of credit must go to Allegri, who worked fast and efficiently to get it done. It's not a knock on Conte; he may well have taken them this far as well, had he stuck around -- though he likely would have done it in a different way. But the fact remains: it was Allegri, the guy whom some depicted as some sort of empty suit, who got them this far. Maybe at some point someone will recognise just how impressive his body of work has been this year.

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS Carlos Tévez (3') Álvaro Morata (70') Carlos Tévez (79') Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1 Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m. Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Attendance: 65851 How the Westfalenstadion was won Juventus produced a superb display to eliminate Borussia Dortmund from the Champions League. Luca Cetta wraps up the action. Mar 19, 2015 Even in July Juventus knew this would be an important match. “Juventus must be among the top eight teams in Europe, it’s our duty,” Massimiliano Allegri declared in his first Press conference at the club. Eight months later the Bianconeri duly obliged with their best European away performance in more than a decade, winning 3-0. As a result they will take their place in tomorrow’s Champions League Quarter Final draw as a side not to be taken lightly. The blueprint to Juve’s success was produced last month. The 2-1 first leg win showcased their ability to sit deep, restrict Borussia Dortmund – Giorgio Chiellini’s slip aside, the Germans barely troubled Gianluigi Buffon – and spring forward on the counter. The second leg was a ramped up version of that plan. It worked to perfection. In recent weeks Juventus rediscovered the defensive solidity which had previously abandoned them. Without a clean sheet since early February, back-to-back 1-0 wins over Sassuolo and Palermo set the tone that continued on Wednesday. Andrea Pirlo had an injury cloud hanging over his head from that first leg, but his absence didn’t prove an issue for the Turin club. Nor did their endeavour and domination waver when Paul Pogba hobbled off, forcing Allegri into a tactical shift with the introduction of Andrea Barzagli Whether a four or three man defence, it’s hard to recall any clear-cut opportunities Borussia created. Being able to change face during a match without losing anything in the way of solidity and impetus will be important for Juventus heading forward in this competition. That said, any plan needs proponents and Allegri had 11 in Dortmund. Leading the way was difference maker Carlos Tevez. For the history buffs, in all three of Juve’s previous trips to the Westfalenstadion the opening goal was scored within six minutes. Tevez maintained the stat with a thunderbolt less than 180 seconds in. Allegri declared before the match the importance of scoring at least once and Tevez responded. He was instrumental throughout, whether blasting a second goal – his sixth in the competition – or putting another on a plate for Alvaro Morata. The strikers played their part, offering an outlet for Juve’s tireless midfielders. Arturo Vidal walked the suspension tightrope and may have overstepped the bounds at times, but never shied from terrorising Borussia’s attackers. It was vintage Vidal, ever tenacious and decisive. Pirlo’s replacement at the heart of midfield also ensured the bearded maestro wasn’t missed. Claudio Marchisio did the dirty work and kept possession ticking over when the Italians had the ball. A special mention must go to Barzagli, in what was just his third appearance of the season. He hardly missed a step on the big occasion. By his side was Leonardo Bonucci, ever growing in stature as a defensive leader. As the match wore on the Old Lady exuded confidence, but the Coach sees room for improvement. “We can and must improve in terms of passing and game management. We above all did well in the second half. There was a moment of confusion when Paul Pogba went off for Andrea Barzagli.” The time after the first half substitution was Dortmund’s most threatening, but it was more a moderate breeze than a cyclone. Given Juve had won just one away match of the last eight in the competition – at Malmo – they were hardly troubled. Jurgen Klopp conceded his side were second best throughout. Tomorrow’s draw sees Juventus potentially up against a heavyweight in Barcelona, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, while Porto and Monaco will be viewed by others as the lesser teams remaining. Of course, nobody can be underestimated at this stage, and that includes the Bianconeri. “We’ll see how the draw goes and then play our games,” Allegri noted. “It is our duty to believe, just as we believed going into this round, as the team has great physical and tactical qualities.” Juventus will still be viewed as a second tier favourite to win the competition, but they have served a warning to the rest of Europe: underestimate us at your peril.

Chiellini: Juventus want to avoid Bayern The defender has acknowledged the quality of the Bundesliga side, who put seven goals past Shakhtar Donetsk in the second leg of their last-16 tie. Mar 19, 2015 Giorgio Chiellini has admitted he hopes Juventus avoid Bayern Munich in Friday's Champions League quarter-final draw. The Serie A champions booked their place in the last eight on Wednesday with a comprehensive 3-0 victory at Borussia Dortmund to secure a 5-1 aggregate win. It is the second time in three seasons Juve have made the quarter-finals, but they have not progressed beyond that stage since 2002-03. They join Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Monaco, Porto, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the last eight, and it is the Bundesliga champions who Chiellini fears most. "If I can, I would avoid Bayern," the 30-year-old centre-back told reporters. "But we will still watch the draw with great emotion." Bianconeri team-mate Leonardo Bonucci, on the other hand, is adamant Massimiliano Allegri's men would be happy facing any one of those seven sides. "There are still lots of matches to play and this is where the Champions League starts to get interesting," the defender said. "We're through to the quarters and we'll head into them with a bounce in our step, fearing no one. "Whoever we get drawn against is going to be tough but we know we'll be a hard team to beat as well."

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS Carlos Tévez (3') Álvaro Morata (70') Carlos Tévez (79') Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1 Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m. Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Attendance: 65851 Lippi: ‘Juventus can makes semis’ Mar 19, 2015 Juventus legend Marcello Lippi believes his old club can make the Champions League semi-finals with ‘a bit of luck’. The Bianconeri advanced to the last eight of the competition last night with a comprehensive win over Borussia Dortmund, winning 3-0 at Westfalenstadion. “Last night Juventus sent out a good message,” Lippi reflected in an interview with Tuttomercatoweb. “They finally made a major step forward in Europe. We’ve seen four years of supremacy from Juventus in Italy, but in Europe that’s been missing for a while. “It’s an important step, because with this important victory in an important stadium, Juventus can go back to being aware of what they can do in the Champions League. “There are teams which have that little bit more - I’m thinking of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona - but with a bit of luck Juventus can be among the top four in Europe.”

Raiola: ‘Pogba doesn’t want Madrid’ Mar 19, 2015 Paul Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, says the Juventus midfielder is not interested in moving to Real Madrid. The French starlet signed a new contract with the Bianconeri in October, but has been repeatedly linked with a move away from Turin, with Real Madrid one of the clubs reportedly interested. However, in an interview with French sports newspaper L’Equipe, Raiola has dismissed those rumours. “Everyone says Pogba is the player with the most potential they’ve ever seen,” the famous agent explained. “I’m the only one who doesn’t talk about Paul and the transfer market. His contract has been extended with Juventus, with the idea that he’s one of the top players at the club. “Now, if another club wants Pogba, then they can present us with an offer, and we won’t talk about money. Paul will go where he feels good, where he’ll be happy. “Real Madrid say they’re not interested? Good, if that’s the case we’re not interested either! “I never went to Real Madrid and said to them ‘please buy Pogba’, never. Real Madrid are a club which is in the habit of buying players like they’re a washcloth, then disposing of them like a washcloth. “Real is a club which sees a player have six good games in the World Cup and then buys him. We don’t want to go to a club like that. “We want to go to a club that believes in Paul’s potential. I’m not closing the door to Real, but I’m not going to open it either.” Raiola did not, however, rule out a move to Paris Saint-Germain where several of his clients, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, currently play. “Someone in the Italian media asked me what Pogba’s value is. I replied that Pogba is like a work by Basquiat [a famous American artist]. “Why did I say that? Because no-one knows Paul’s real value. People don’t believe me, but if someone likes Pogba it could be €100m, €120m, €130m… “PSG? I prefer to act when something concrete develops. I just know that Paul will be successful regardless of which club he’s at.”

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS Carlos Tévez (3') Álvaro Morata (70') Carlos Tévez (79') Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1 Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m. Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Attendance: 65851 Sleeping giant Juventus awoken by Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata Mar 19, 2015 A curious scene caught the attention of the press pack that followed Juventus in their Champions League last-16 second-leg win over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday. As they were leaving Signal Iduna park following Juventus' 5-1 aggregate win, Massimiliano Nerozzi of La Stampa noticed a familiar face walking along the concourse outside the ground. He was completely by himself with a rucksack on his back like he was on his way to school, not home. Recognised by a group of Italians, he said: "Ciao," smiled and continued to wherever he was headed. This everyman was Jurgen Klopp. The Dortmund coach has always given the impression of being grounded and so it would be wrong to say that Juventus had humbled him and his team. But as Klopp acknowledged in his post-match news conference, their opponents were "too superior." Massimiliano Allegri, the Juve coach, got his tactics spot on over both legs. Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola had warned that Dortmund "attack the spaces like animals," and so Juventus denied them any with smart positional play. They took the sting out the "BVBees" by instructing Roberto Pereyra to press Ilkay Gundogan and by taking away their counter and using it against them. "They did to Dortmund what Dortmund do to other teams," Gianluca Vialli observed on Sky Italia. The Turin breaks were the soundtrack to qualification for the quarterfinals. The regret, in addition to Giorgio Chiellini's unfortunate Madonna-like slip which granted Marco Reus Dortmund's only chance in the first leg, was that Juventus didn't make more of them at home. They should have flown to Dortmund with a wider margin for error. In the end it mattered little, for Italian champions were close to perfect in Germany. And to think they were without Andrea Pirlo from the 37th minute of the first leg and Paul Pogba -- who alarmingly could be out for a month -- from the 27th of the second. Yet the outcome rarely looked in doubt. It was the statement performance Juventus needed to make. Too often in Europe their best players have been shadows of themselves. But not against Dortmund. Arturo Vidal might not be as decisive as he once was but lived up to his "Il Guerriero" nickname (The Warrior), throwing himself here there and everywhere, while Claudio Marchisio should be considered one of Juventus' players of the season. The tale of their advancement was in many respects a tale of two strikers dovetailing to devastating effect. Alvaro Morata and Carlos Tevez combined for all five of their goals and the former could have had a hat-trick on Wednesday night. Three weeks ago, the 22-year-old Spain international graced the front page of La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport with the headline "Signora InnaMORATA" -- the Lady in love. What had he done to win her affection? He made the run and put the ball in the box for Tevez's opener then restored their lead by opening up his body and finding the corner. His pace, purposeful direct running and sense for goal -- Morata was the top scorer in the Spain teams that won the European U19 and U21 Championships -- has given Juventus a starter and a finisher of fast breaks. While he can't hold the ball up and act as a pivot like Fernando Llorente, he can still find the back of the net with his head like he did against Atalanta and Cesena. There's something about him that calls to mind Fernando Morientes. Is it any wonder Real Madrid got Juventus to reluctantly agree to a buy-back clause worth in excess of €30m that they can activate at the end of next season and the one after that? Morata, who scored his first Champions League goal in Germany against Schalke a year ago, has the intention of staying in Turin for a long time. "He is Juventus' future," Allegri said after the victory in Dortmund. Understandably it has taken a while to forge an in-game understanding with Tevez, learn his runs, anticipate his movements and vice-versa, but now that it's there the chemistry is plain for all to see. Morata sets up Tevez and Tevez sets up him. "When I was little I used to watch him on TV. Now it's a dream to have him as a teammate," Morata said on Wednesday night. Tevez instead stole the splash in the papers the morning after the night before. "Tre-vez!" screamed giornalaccio rosa to convey his part in all three of his side's goals on Wednesday night. Tevez's strike was the 18th goal Juventus have scored from outside the box this season, a record across Europe's top five leagues. Irrespective of his selfless assist for Morata and his second goal -- his 23rd in 35 games in the current campaign and sixth in the Champions League -- his overall performance was outstanding. Tevez's passing accuracy was 91 percent and he recovered the ball nine times. Few strikers are better or work harder off the ball than him and he is still seeking to improve. The 31-year-old has taken to staying back after training to watch and learn how Pirlo takes free-kicks and it has paid off. When "Il Maestro" was missing against Roma the other week, he stood over one and curled it in. Tevez is a consummate winner too. When 10-men Roma came back to equalise that night and salvaged a draw, he appeared on TV for a post-match interview, got showered in praise for a free-kick that was a carbon copy of one Michel Platini had scored at the Olimpico but shrugged off the plaudits and said: "I'm pissed off." The team dropped two points. Tevez is without doubt one of the great players of his generation. He is one of only a handful to win the Copa Libertadores and the Champions League. However, because of the controversies he has been caught up in (third-party ownership, going on strike at Manchester City and his exile from Argentina's national team which has only recently ended) it's been easy to lose sight of it. He plans to return to Boca Juniors when his contract runs out at Juventus in 2016 but he isn't done with them yet. The route to Berlin, the venue of the Champions League final, goes through Dortmund like it did for Buffon, Andrea Barzagli and Pirlo at the World Cup in 2006. Juventus' objective at the beginning of the season was to return to the last eight and then see what happens. They're realistic enough to admit that Bayern and Barcelona are on another level but with a bit of luck and a couple of attackers of the calibre of Tevez and Morata, no one will want to face them.

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS Carlos Tévez (3') Álvaro Morata (70') Carlos Tévez (79') Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1 Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m. Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Attendance: 65851 Juventus 3-0 Borussia Dortmund: EuroJuve seals spot in Champions League quarterfinals Two goals and an assist from Carlos Tévez provided the highlights but Juventus' dominant defensive performance deserves most of the credit. Coming to Germany in the knowledge that a clean sheet would get them through, Juventus produced a complete team performance, blunting the Dortmund attack while creating plenty of chances of their own. Mar 19, 2015 It was a wonderful Wednesday for Juventus supporters, as La Vecchia Signora showed her very best side on a European night. Carlos Tévez scored early and set up strike partner Álvaro Morata for second before Roberto Pereyra put the number 10 in for a third. The bianconero center backs were rock solid, building on a display that saw Palermo fail to register a shot on target, and held the Germans to just two second-half efforts that Gianluigi Buffon could have saved with his eyes closed. Altogether it was a dominant performance from Juventus, despite the possession statistic, as the Bianconeri were always dangerous and never threatened. In terms of formations it was back to what the teams know best, with Dortmund in its now familiar 4-2-3-1 and Juventus in the 4-3-1-2 that has become Massimiliano Allegri's formation of choice. Kevin Kampl played on Dortmund's right, with Marco Reus behind speedster Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Andrea Pirlo and Nuri Sahin missed the match through injury, and with their influential midfielders missing, both managers opted for more steel in the center of the park — Jürgen Klopp bringing in Sven Bender and Allegri putting Claudio Marchisio in front of the defense. Klopp used Sokratis Papastathopoulos as a right back, perhaps to offer more security against Juventus' two strikers, but Dortmund's defense were again torn apart in space by the Old Lady's attack. Juventus, as expected, largely controlled the dangerous space around their box and tried to get the ball into attack quickly, hopefully breaking into space with numbers. After Tévez's early goal, the Germans had to leave even more space, and still could never finalize a passing move against the well-organized, calm, and confident Juventus. A sore point was the injury to Paul Pogba, hobbled by a strong Sokratis challenge after an influential start to the match. Allegri brought in Andrea Barzagli, just back from a long injury layoff, and Juve if anything became more effective with their game plan. All three midfielders complemented the defense and created going forward, with the forwards very sharp and eager to run at goal. The second goal on 70 minutes finished the tie, then goal No. 3 padded the aggregate scoreline to a gaudy 5-1, nothing less than Juventus deserved. It was a massive success on the pitch for Juventus, and absolutely deserved against what must be said was a disappointing Borussia Dortmund. After last year's Champions League disappointment, it was the kind of big win on a European stage that shows the team has grown under Allegri, and that Italy still has at least one European big gun. MATCH SUMMARY Juventus had the first chance of the game almost as soon as it began, with Tévez running into space from Marchisio's pass, and just after it was 1-0. A throw-in from the left side wasn't cleared by Neven Subotić and eventually came to Tévez, who took a look up and blasted into the top corner. Both the defense and goalkeeper could have done better, but it was a fantastic strike with almost no backlift. Dortmund always needed to score, and a goal down became even more insistent with the ball, pushing numbers forward and crossing from wide positions, but Juventus' defense was never troubled. With Buffon dominating his box and a line of five strung across the back, supplemented ably by the three midfielders, Dortmund got almost nothing from their attack. Aubameyang's limitations against a side that sits deep were apparent, with the striker hardly getting a touch of the ball. A decent spell from BVB threatened to get Reus a shooting chance, but the midfield was always attentive with Evra and Pogba making clean tackles near the edge of the box. The French midfielder had started the game well, imposing himself down the left, and was unfortunate to go off after 27' following a hard challenge from Sokratis. Barzagli came on and made the defense even more secure, something like turning a bank vault into Fort Knox. Dortmund continued to throw everything at the bunkered Juventus team, but there was absolutely nothing to be had. The center backs and Buffon grabbed everything in the air, while the density and organization of bodies proved impossible to get through on the ground. What may have Dortmund's best chance came when Aubameyang skewed a desperate shot well wide near the end of the half. Klopp brought on Oliver Kirch for Marcel Schmelzer, and the second half continued the story with Juventus defending deep and clearing everything that had a whiff of danger. A fantastic header from Patrice Evra set the Italian champions on the break again, with Tévez powering through three defenders before playing in Morata (with shades of offside,) but Roman Weidenfeller was able to close the angle. Henrikh Mkhitaryan had a rare chance for Dortmund on the break, but Barzagli stopped him in his tracks with a fantastic tackle in space. The 56th minute saw Morata with another chance, as Roberto Pereyra powered through midfield, but again he was unable to beat Weidenfeller. Dortmund made a double substitution, bringing on Adrián Ramos and Jakub Blaszczykowski for a 4-4-2, with the Colombian finally able to win some high balls against the Juventus defense. This still didn't translate to good chances, although one hopeful effort from Subotić caught a tricky deflection that sent the ball just wide. Dortmund continued to press forward, and in the 70th minute another counter put the tie out of reach. Marchisio clipped a ball over an unbalanced defense for Tévez to run onto, and the Argentine calmly set up Morata for a tap-in. It was certainly deserved for the quality of play, and just ten minutes later Tévez was celebrating again. Pereyra escaped the Dortmund midfield and played in Tévez, who took the chance himself this time and rounded off the 3-0 scoreline. Alessandro Matri and Simone Pepe came on for Juventus in the closing stages, but had little to do with the result secured and the team sitting deep. Dortmund can at least take one moment from the match, as Kampl had a fantastic turn-and-nutmeg on Chiellini by the corner. Pepe almost got Bonucci in trouble with a backpass, forcing the defender into a sliding clearance and maybe hurting his shoulder, while Aubameyang sent a header wide in the only minute of stoppage time. It was a complete team performance from Juventus, a necessary result, and the kind of thing to put smiles on Juventini around the globe. LE PAGELLE Buffon: 7 Not many shots to deal with, but very strong in the air and always in command of his box. Lichtsteiner: 7 Had some chances in space, but did his best work defensively to shut out Mkhitaryan. Bonucci: 7.5 The center backs were completely dominant in this one, with Bonucci strong and quick to cut out any service to the forwards. Chiellini: 7.5 A tower of strength, and a huge performance keeping Reus and Kampl from doing anything of note. Evra: 7.5 Often targeted as Dortmund tried to get Reus the ball quickly, Evra was extremely strong in the air and calmly passed his way out of defense. Vidal: 7.5 All over the pitch defensively, although his attacking impact was limited he was a huge nuisance to Dortmund midfielders who wanted to pick a killer ball. Marchisio: 8 Showed just how confident he is in front of the defense, filling in perfectly in defense while providing both consistent distribution and occasional inspiration for the attack. Pogba: N/A Had a strong start to the game, but had to be removed because of injury after just 27 minutes. Pereyra: 8 At his best breaking forward on the counter, "El Tucu" was fantastic tonight, particularly in the second half. Set up one goal and maybe deserved another assist. Morata: 7 Surely now established as Allegri's first-choice number 9, the Spanish striker helped out in defense and ran the last line of defense well. Scored a tap-in, but could have had more. Tévez: 8.5 A brilliant performance from the Argentine international, with two goals and an assist absolutely deserved reward. Dortmund couldn't get the ball off him, and the finishing touch was picture perfect. Substitutes Barzagli: 7.5 It's like he never left. He's so cool under pressure, with the physique and technique to leave attackers hopeless. Matri: N/A A late run-out for the one-time starting striker. Pepe: N/A Another late substitution, Pepe did not have much impact other than a risky back pass that left Bonucci scrambling. Coach Allegri: 9 A fantastic European performance, the kind Juventus and her fans needed so badly. Tactically perfect, Allegri deserves massive credit for the performance tonight.

Meglio il Monaco che il Bayern Monaco.

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS Carlos Tévez (3') Álvaro Morata (70') Carlos Tévez (79') Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1 Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m. Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Attendance: 65851 Carlos Tevez Brace Sends Juventus Into Champions League Last Eight Mar 19, 2015 Carlos Tevez scored twice and set up Alvaro Morata as Juventus crushed Borussia 3-0 in Dortmund. Their first-leg advantage allowed them to focus on defending in Dortmund and they performed their task to perfection. Jurgen Klopp’s men never even came close to troubling Gianluigi Buffon as Juventus happily sat back and conceded possession, with Dortmund having zero shots on target in the opening 45 minutes. The Bundesliga side seemed to lack a clear gameplan and were devoid of ideas. Dortmund’s main dangerman, Marco Reus, was hardly involved, while fellow attackers Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Kevin Kampl were all anonymous. Max Allegri leads the Old Lady through to the Champions League quarter-finals thanks to a 5-1 aggregate triumph. The Bianconeri won the first leg 2-1, but Andrea Pirlo, Martin Caceres, Kwadwo Asamoah and Romulo were sidelined. Jurgen Klopp dropped Ciro Immobile to the bench against his old club and opted for Sokratis Papastathopoulos at right-back. The visitors took little time in silencing a rocking Westfalenstadion as Tevez unleashed a fierce drive from fully 30 yards out that flew past a startled Roman Weidenfeller in Dortmund’s goal for his sixth goal in just eight Champions League games this season. However, while the Argentine’s strike was impressive, the goalkeeper will no doubt be disappointed to have been beaten from such a long range out, the first goal Weidenfeller had conceded at home in 216 minutes. And that stunning strike appeared to knock the stuffing out of Dortmund, at least for the first half of the opening period, as Juve went in search of a second goal to kill off the home team’s resistance. In fact, Swiss right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner very nearly provided it after 17 minutes with a 35-yard piledriver that forced a nervy looking Weidenfeller into a desperate save, but gradually Dortmund worked themselves into the encounter, helped by an untimely hamstring injury to Juventus playmaker Paul Pogba just before the half-hour mark. Juventus, unbeaten in their last 12 matches away from home in all competitions, were never threatened by toothless Dortmund who had high hopes of overturning their first-leg defeat in Turin. Dortmund failed to have a shot on target for more than an hour and only some smart second-half saves by Roman Weidenfeller prevented a heavier defeat. It was Dortmund’s fourth loss in four European games against Juventus. Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri had promised his side wouldn’t sit back despite the first leg advantage. His players stayed true to his word and Tevez in particular looked like he was a man on a mission. After the break, Juventus pushed high up the pitch and snuffing out Dortmund’s response before it could even begin. Paul Pogba had gone off injured before that, prompting a period of Dortmund pressure. The visitors were the only ones who created chances however, with Vidal firing over. Fans made their frustration known in the first half, with confidence-hit midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan a particular target. There were more loud whistles at the break. Hard as they pressed in search of the two goals they needed to take the tie into extra time, Jurgen Klopp’s side just could not find a way past a well-marshalled and disciplined Juventus defence. Oliver Kirch, who had been tipped to start, came on for the second half, moving Sokratis Papastathopoulos to the left. As the match headed into the second half and the clock continued to tick away, so Dortmund became more desperate, with spaces at the back beginning to appear with increasing regularity. Weidenfeller twice denied Morata from point-blank range early in the second half but Juventus, who enjoy a runaway 14-point lead at the top of Serie A, scored again when Tevez raced clear and cut back for the Spanish striker to tap home. Tevez then completed his superb performance by scoring from just inside the box with 11 minutes remaining. Spain international Alvaro Morata should have killed the game as a contest when presented with two glorious chances in the space of five minutes early in the second half, only for Weidenfeller to deny the striker on both occasions with smart blocks in one-on-one situations. But those two misses were not to prove costly to the Serie A champions as Morata put the tie out of sight after 70 minutes after Tevez broke clear of Dortmund’s malfunctioning back line, before the diminutive forward laid a goal on a plate for his strike partner. Nine minutes later and Tevez inflicted yet more pain on Dortmund and their fans after fine approach from Argentine midfielder Roberto Pereyra, who slipped his compatriot through on goal before the 31-year-old made no mistake in netting his 23rd goal of the campaign to seal Juve’s place in the quarter-finals. Carlos Tevez once more proved to be the difference maker he has already shown to be on more than one occasion since joining Juventus from Manchester City. The Argentina international has not always been on top of his game in the Champions League, scoring just three times in his first 28 appearances in the competition, but he has been key to Juve’s resurgence this term. Tevez not only scored twice on Wednesday to make it four from his last four UCL games, but he also set up Alvaro Morata for his side’s third, while causing the Dortmund defence all kinds of trouble in a man-of-the-match performance. This week’s encounter by no means turns Juventus into one of the favourites to win the competition, but they have without a doubt shown that they are a force to be reckoned with once more. No longer is there a difference between the dominant Juventus from Serie A and the insecure Juventus from the Champions League. Allegri’s men are a threat, one that no team will enjoy facing. Massimiliano Allegri’s side – twice winners of the competition – will be an opponent few will relish being paired with in Friday’s draw as with a 14-point cushion in Serie A, they can afford to focus fully on a tilt at a first European Cup win since 1996. These are happy times for fans of the Old Lady. Five years ago to the day they were beaten 4-1 by Fulham in the Europa League but they have won their domestic title every year since and have conceded just 14 goals so far as they close in on another inevitable Scudetto this year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea-0L_lkrqY&t=27

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS Carlos Tévez (3') Álvaro Morata (70') Carlos Tévez (79') Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1 Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m. Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Attendance: 65851 Borussia Dortmund vs. Juventus: Tactical Review from Champions League Mar 19, 2015 Juventus produced one of the strongest away performances in recent memory to defeat Borussia Dortmund, 3-0 (5-1 on aggregate), at Signal Iduna Park and progress to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Carlos Tevez (brace) and Alvaro Morata scored the goals to seal the victory. Formations and XIs Borussia Dortmund played a 4-2-3-1 with three No. 10s manning the advanced midfield line. Marco Reus was central, Kevin Kampl was to the right and Henrikh Mkhitaryan was to the left. Sokratis Papastathopoulos deputised at right-back due to squad injuries, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang started up front. Juventus began in a 4-4-2 diamond, with Tevez and Morata up front and Roberto Pereyra as a defensive No. 10. Claudio Marchisio stepped in for Andrea Pirlo in the holding role. 1. Early Goal, Space and Width Tevez's third-minute strike from outside the box more or less ended the game, as Dortmund, we would come to find out, were horrifically ill-equipped to break the visitors down. The goal meant BVB needed two—a feat that simply never looked close to materialising. It was one hell of a strike from Tevez, but the move just beforehand was rather telling. A quick counter after Dortmund had pushed too many men forward saw Tevez and Morata find space to work in, forcing pressure and a throw-in that Tevez would score from. The Argentinian continued to find space between the holding midfielders and the defensive line throughout, serving as an excellent first option when trying to avoid BVB's admittedly timid press. The ball stuck to him, and his quick link play with Morata often had the home side's defence falling to pieces within seconds of the ball being moved into threatening positions. In stark contrast, Dortmund found absolutely no room to play in at the other end, but it was mostly Jurgen Klopp's fault. He fielded no natural wingers but rather a quick striker who can't link play up front. And Sokratis at right-back offered nothing offensively. If there's a way to beat Juve, it's via the wide areas, which Klopp, for some reason, completely ignored. It allowed the Bianconeri to play a narrow midfield diamond and clog the space in front of the defence, nullifying Reus, Kampl and Mkhitaryan. Aubemeyang, who is only usable at this level if he has space to run into, was rendered entirely useless. 2. Switch to 3-5-2 Juve were forced into a change in the 26th minute, with Paul Pogba tweaking his hamstring. Massimiliano Allegri made the unusual move of replacing him with Andrea Barzagli—himself returning from a long lay off—and switched to a 3-5-2. It placed Barzagli at the back and reduced the midfield four to a midfield three. Pereyra spread left of Marchisio and Arturo Vidal right, forgoing the presence of a No. 10 (whose only job was to harass anyway, given that Tevez was the link player). In truth, it didn't change a thing. Still no space in behind, still no space in front of the defence and an ever greater aerial strength in the box should it be required. Reus and Kampl continued to fumble around, while Aubameyang saw his limited amount of space to work with reduced even further. Marchisio had a quietly efficient game holding it together and closing off the zones for Reus to play in, while Vidal was aggressive and intimidating when required. 3. Klopp's Subs Klopp's first sub was not the game-changer we had hoped for—Oliver Kirch on for Marcel Schmelzer at right-back, Sokratis to left-back—but a later flurry did signal intent. Adrian Ramos joined Aubameyang up front to form a partnership, and Jakub Blaszczykowski entered the fray on the right flank to provide some much-needed width. It was at this point that BVB began to look slightly plausible as an attacking outfit, with Blaszczykowski adding legs to the flank and crossing a few balls into the box. Ramos managed one header that had Gianluigi Buffon back-pedalling. But it also signalled the transition to gung-ho football—a necessary risk, granted—and Juve picked them apart on the counter. Morata missed two one-vs.-one chances in the second half before finally tapping home from a Tevez square ball, and the latter iced the result late on with his second and the team's third. Juve's strong midfield runners began to stretch their legs with space in front, and that early ball into Tevez became even more lethal, as he had fewer defenders to beat on the way to goal. Quickfire Takeaways A disastrous game for BVB. A poor game plan; no width, no space to play and the wrong personnel on the field. They have injuries, yes, but Blaszczykowski could have started at right-back, and Ciro Immobile would have been a better bet than Aubameyang. Juve killed it. An incredible European away performance. Analysts will dig this tape out for years to come when outlining their own game plans for their own teams. Morata makes incredible runs into the channels and takes superb angles. That part of his game is reminiscent of the old Radamel Falcao. Dortmund lost yet another game without Nuri Sahin. He's such an important presence to them, whereas Sven Bender leaves a lot to be desired right now.

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS Carlos Tévez (3') Álvaro Morata (70') Carlos Tévez (79') Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1 Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m. Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Attendance: 65851 Juventus 3 - Borussia Dortmund 0: Initial reaction and random observations That sure was better the last time Juventus went to Germany in the Champions League, huh. Mar 18, 2015 How well did Juventus play on Wednesday night? At one point in the second half, the famed Borussia Dortmund crowd, known for its noise and intimidating atmosphere, was nearly silent. All you heard weren't those in yellow and black supporting the home side. Instead, you heard the couple of thousand Juve tifo who made the trip going "ALE ALE ALE OH!" and basically having a part in the stands. Why? Because Juventus didn't just advance to the quarterfinals of the Champions League with a 3-0 win (5-1 on aggregate) over Dortmund. They advanced with absolute authority. It was a black and white demolition derby with Max Allegri driving the bus. Let me put it in perspective for a second: Juventus saw arguably the best player on the field in Paul Pogba leave the game midway through the first half due to injury. Because of it, Allegri — who was also without the injured Andrea Pirlo — switched from a 4-3-1-2 to a 3-5-2 formation as Andrea Barzagli replaced Pogba. Some might have gone "UH OH!" as they saw the three-man defense, which was rumored to be used from the opening whistle in the build up to kickoff, went into action. Yet the team didn't miss a beat. Not one. This was a true team performance. Carlos Tévez said it in the post-game interviews and it rings so true. They defended as a team, they attacked on the counter as a team, they won as a team. It was a vintage Juventus performance in a game that truly needed one because there was so much riding on the final result in Germany. Of course it helps when you enter the game up 2-1 on aggregate and have your No. 10 score an absolute stunner of a goal three minutes in. But Juventus didn't just make that lead stand firm, they frustrated all the living hell out of Dortmund throughout the 90-plus minutes. It was just a fantastic showing. There's no other way to describe how well Juve played. It was a great defensive effort when Juventus needed one against a dangerous opponent. Dortmund looked completely befuddled out there for the vast majority of the game — and it was because of what Juventus was doing to them on the field. That's how you rise to the occasion on the European stage, boys and girls. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen .@AlvaroMorata: "It was a really impressive display. We defended when we needed to and struck when we had the chance to attack." Random thoughts and observations Je suis Pogba. Please let that hamstring recover as fast as possible. So, that was a pretty nice birthday gift for Simone Padoin, don't you think? All those Juventus players who entered the game one yellow card away from suspension didn't get any yellow cards. Like that game couldn't have gone any better already, right? I'm just going to throw it out there and you all can discuss: How great is Andrea Barzagli? Seriously, think about it. This is a guy who hadn't appeared in a game since the World Cup last summer and does that against Palermo and then that against Borussia Dortmund. You know why Juventus was able to survive the absence of Pirlo? Because Claudio Marchisio had yet another fantastic game as Juve's regista. I talked about how Marchisio is such a massive upgrade defensively at that position, and it proved correct (not that there were any kind of doubts about it). Marchisio had 10 — TEN! — interceptions. The closest Juventus player, Giorgio Chiellini, had three. This was Marchisio being Marchisio to the utmost degree. And it was great to watch. Arturo Vidal had a couple of stupid moments in the first half that might have gotten him carded, but he sure was energetic. Juventus needed Vidal to put in a classic kind of performance to be successful in Germany, and he definitely delivered. After all the struggles he's had this season, this had to feel good. Can we just go ahead and thank Manchester City once again for selling Tévez to Juventus a couple of summers ago for what continues to look like a bargain of a transfer fee? Tévez scored the first goal in Turin, he scored the first goal in Dortmund. Álvaro Morata scored Juventus' second goal in Turin, he scored Juventus' second goal in Dortmund. Both strikers with goals in both legs. That's some lovely and cosistent production from the best two strikers on the roster, baby. I wonder what was going through Ciro Immobile was thinking as he sat on the bench during that game. I mean, he didn't even get the chance to score that much-desired goal against Juventus on Wednesday. (Too soon? Nah.) Max Allegri's impact on the team keeps becoming more and more obvious. Juventus didn't have this kind of tactical flexibility under Antonio Conte. Not by a mile. Conte laid down a great foundation and brought Juve back from the dead, but Allegri is taking Juventus forward and building off what his predecessor did. He managed the two legs against Borussia Dortmund perfectly. And the players executed the game plan pretty darn well, too. Noted goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said before the season he wanted a Serie A title and to make the quarterfinals in the Champions League. Well, San Gigi, you've got both of those now. Maybe re-evaluate and try to get to the semis? Just an idea. Seriously, 5-1 on aggregate against Borussia Dortmund. That game was so much fun. Plus-14 and in the Champions League quarterfinals. It's pretty good to be associated with Juventus right now, isn't it? (Hint: Yeah, it is.)

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS Carlos Tévez (3') Álvaro Morata (70') Carlos Tévez (79') Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1 Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m. Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Attendance: 65851 Fall Of The Yellow Wall: Juventus’ Demolition Job The Bianconeri coach pulled a tactical coup in Germany, booking Juve’s spot for the quarter-finals in emphatic fashion, 3–0 on the night and 5–1 on aggregate. Mar 18, 2015 Ahead of his Champions League quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund, all the talk was on whether Massimiliano Allegri would opt for the 3-5-2 or stick with his 4-3-1-2. In the end Allegri chose the 4-3-1-2, but in fact used both, switching his formation after Paul Pogba was taken off due to injury. With Dortmund barely challenging Juventus throughout the game, they never stood a chance against two of them. Since Allegri’s arrival, the question had always been about whether he would stick with former coach Antonio Conte’s formation (the 3-5-2) or scrap it for one of his own. Progress for a team can be a difficult thing to gauge, and especially in the case of Juventus who are on their way towards a fourth successive Scudetto. Therefore, Champions League progression was always going to stand as an important barometer. As far as that barometer goes, Conte’s 3-5-2 had always been faulted as unadapted to European jousts. On Thursday, Juventus scored one goal under Allegri’s 4-3-1-2 and then two more — in the second half — when playing in Conte’s 3-5-2. More so than just the goals, Juventus controlled the game from the time Pogba left the pitch and Allegri changed the formation to the final whistle. In effect, Gianluigi Buffon only made his first save of the game on 62 minutes, comfortably smothering Kevin Kampl’s tame effort. Indeed if Jurgen Kohler, former Dortmund defender and 1997 Champions League winner, had fingered Buffon as Juventus’ weak link, then Allegri came with the perfect strategy to protect him. Moreover Allegri won using the 3-5-2 without Pogba, without Andrea Pirlo, and with an Andrea Barzagli who was returning from a long-term injury that had him sidelined for months. The veritable progress of this Juventus side is not simply in making the 3-5-2 viable in Europe however. The progress of this Juventus team exists in the synthesis Allegri was capable of engineering. Allegri has seamlessly moved from the 4-3-1-2 to the 3-5-2 and back depending on the scenario. The rotation of the players and versatile roles he has given his midfielders have also been worthy of praise. Thursday night was the perfect away performance. Juventus frustrated Dortmund, ground their midfield to dust, stifled their attack and blitzed their defence. It was the perfect synthesis of collective effort defensively and genius individualism offensively; best illustrated by Carlos Tevez’s brilliant performance (two goals and one assist) and his thunderous opening strike. Juventus have now sealed their quarter-final berth, for the second time since the 2012-13 Champions League season when Bayern Munich knocked them out. So in terms of absolute value, Juventus’ qualification against Dortmund would not — on paper at least — serve as proof of progression. The proof is neither in the validation of the 3-5-2 nor is it in having helped Tevez score in three of this last four Champions League games (as many times as in his previous 28); but it exists in the flexible nature and intelligent approach of their new coach, who looks to have finally gotten Juventus over their Champions League yips.

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS Carlos Tévez (3') Álvaro Morata (70') Carlos Tévez (79') Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1 Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m. Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Attendance: 65851 Morata: 'Tevez is a dream' Mar 18, 2015 Alvaro Morata said Juventus were “incredible” against Borussia Dortmund and Carlos Tevez is a “dream” teammate. The ex-Real Madrid striker scored the second goal in tonight’s 3-0 thumping, laid out on a plate for him by Tevez. “We played an incredible game and above all worked as a team,” Morata told Sky Sport Italia. “When we had to defend, we defended, and when we had to attack we did it very well. “I used to watch Tevez on television when I was a kid. To have him as a teammate now is a dream come true.” Juventus go into the Champions League quarter-finals with PSG, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Monaco and Porto. “All the teams are strong, but if we play like this, then we can go far,” added Morata. Real Madrid still have a buy-back option on Morata, so what does he think he’ll do in future? “The fans can relax, I am very happy here and the only team in my mind is Juve.”

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS Carlos Tévez (3') Álvaro Morata (70') Carlos Tévez (79') Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1 Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m. Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Attendance: 65851 Allegri: It's a beautiful night for Juve and Italian football The coach was full of praise for his side after the win over Borussia Dortmund, while Giuseppe Marotta gave all the credit to Allegri himself. Mar 18, 2015 Massimiliano Allegri has hailed Wednesday's Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund as a "beautiful" night for both Juventus and Italian football. The Bianconeri followed up their 2-1 victory in Turin with a 3-0 second-leg success at Signal Iduna Park to progress to the quarter-finals for the first time in two years 5-1 on aggregate. Allegri was elated with his side's performance, and particularly that of Carlos Tevez, who scored two goals and set up another for Alvaro Morata. However, the Juve boss refused to be drawn on just how far they can go, given that they will not know the identity of their quarter-final opponents until Friday. "It was a beautiful night, but now we must not stop: we must look forward, and wait for the draw," he told reporters. "The result of this evening is the result of all the work we have done together, with the boys and the club. "We played an important game, taking home an important result for Italian football. This team must be aware of the ability they have and I think we have the quality to do even better than we did against Dortmund. "But in the meantime I have to say that we had a really good game and I am very happy. "We played very well especially in the second half. Our team is great technically and physically. We have an extraordinary squad and Carlos Tevez up front is top quality. "Now let's see how the draw goes, but we showed we can play. This result is deserved, but not we must stop here: we must try to move forward." Meanwhile, Juventus general director Giuseppe Marotta was quick to give all the credit for Juve's last-16 success to Allegri, who succeeded Antonio Conte at the helm last summer. "I just want to emphasise and bestow the highest honor to our coach, Massimiliano Allegri, who was greeted with the utmost skepticism earlier in the season," he added. "We are first in the league with a great lead, we progressed with great credit to the quarter-finals of the Champions League. A big round of applause goes to the coach and the team that has done well to follow his work. "Max had great courage to sit on this bench, but also showed great courage in achieving these results."

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS Carlos Tévez (3') Álvaro Morata (70') Carlos Tévez (79') Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1 Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m. Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Attendance: 65851 Klopp: Dortmund had no punch against Juventus The coach was disappointed with his side following their elimination from the Champions League, adding that Carlos Tevez's early goal played a key part in the defeat Mar 18, 2015 Jurgen Klopp has criticised his Borussia Dortmund team for not being ruthless enough in their defeat to Juventus at the Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday. A 3-0 home loss, coupled with a 2-1 reversal in Turin, saw BVB crash out of the Champions League 5-1 on aggregate. Klopp admitted that Carlos Tevez's goal after three minutes was a key moment in the game, but he felt that his side's inefficiency up front was a bigger contributing factor to their exit. "We were totally lacking our punch in the final third," he told Sky Sport. "If you don't shoot you can't score. You saw it with Tevez and we didn't do that enough. "After the first goal goal the match had no fluidity and the opponent's confidence grew every minute. It was not nice, but you can explain this easily. Juve was better than us today and had the perfect opening play." "We were not as confident as Juve. So the early goal was a bad start. It comes down to us not being ruthless in the decisive parts of the pitch. "We have to accept this defeat. We were worse than Juve and we have to realise tonight. We are out of the Champions League. That is not problem, it has happened to other teams at this stage."